Front-wheel brake



Nov. 23 1926.

v w. COOPER FRONT WHEEL BRAKE Filed March 17. 1923 2 Shef-:ts-Sheej'l 1 A TUBNEYS Nov. 23 1926.

w. COOPER FRONT WHEEL BRAKE Filed March 17, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORIVEYS Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNlTED STATES n 1,607,665 parser orifice.

VJLLAM COOPER, OF STROUDSBURG, PENNSYJ'VANIA, A'fbl'()Rl 0F ONE-HALF T0 JOSEPH ALBERT MARCK, 0F NEW YGR-K, N. Y. A

FRONT-WHEEL BRAKE.

Application lecl March 17, 1923. Serial No. 625,764.

This invention relates to vehicle brakes and Was primarily designed as a front Wheel brake tor motor vehicles.

ln the operation oi motor. vehicles, equipped with brakes in conjunction with the rear. Wheels only, many accidents occur due to the skidding of the vehicle vvhen the brakes are applied. The only possible way ot avoiding this objectionable feature in the braking of motor vehicles is to equip the front Wheels as vvell as the rear Wheels with brakes. When it Vis undertaken to equip the vfront Wheels of motor vehicles with brakes diiiiculty is experienced in providing means for operating the front Wheel brakes from members mounted on the frame and in conjunction With the rear Wheel brakes.

The general object out this invention the provision of a simple and eliicient iront Wheel brake for motor vehicles tor use in conjunction With the rear Wheel brakes so as to give the operator greater control of his machine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of front Wheel brakes for motor vehicles provided with operating members thatmay move transversely to one anotherV so that the Wheels may be swung about vertical aries Without operating the brakes.

These objects are accomplished by fixing to the iront Wheel a brake drum, associating with the brake drum a brake band carried by a supporting member mounted on the steering knuckle of the vehicleLmounting on the supporting member levers tor operating the brake band, providing on the vehicle 'iframe levers for operating the brake band operating levers, and interpos'ing between the tvvo sets of levers a connecting member which permits transverse motion of one set of levers relative to the other.

rlhese and other objects ot the invention will be more clearly understood 'from the ollowing detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the brake, showing its construction;

Figure 2 is a side elevation ofthe brake, showing the levers for operating it; l

Figure 8 is a perspective `vievv of the brake;

Figure l is a vertical ysection along` the line Figure 5 is a front elevation ofthe levers proyided for operating the front vvheel ora res:

Figure 6 isa vertical section along the line 6-6, Figure 5;

Figure .7 is a section through a modified :torni o1 connecting member;

Figure 8 is a vertical section through a second modiiied 'torni ot connecting member;

Figure 9 is a third modification otra con@ nectingmember.V Y

Referring to the above-mentioned dratvn ings,'10 indicates a irontlaxle ot the ordinary type provided ivith forked ends. Mounted in each torkedend is a steering knuckle 11, the axis of Which is inclined to the vertical, as shown by the dot and dash lines. Flach steering knuckle 11 carries a spindle 12 on which a vvheel 13 is mounted.

rFhe brake lprovided, in. conjunction with each Wheel includes a brake drum 14C liked to the Wheel so Athat it revolves with it. Formed integral ivi-th the knuckle 11 is a bracket 15 for sup-porting an annular plate 16 in the drum 1li. Encircling the brake drum 111 is a brake band 17 carried by a bracket 18 attached. to the annular plate 16.

An L-shaped lever 19 is pivotally connected to one end of the brakeband 1'?" at 20. The outer end of the upper arm of the L-shaped lever is connected to the other end-` of the brake band 17 by a bolt 21 thus making it possiblebythe operation of the L-shaped lever to draiv the ends of the brake band together. A spring 22 mounted on the bolt 21 forces said bolt upwardly and permits the ends of the brake band 17 to spread when the L-shaped leter 19 is released. As shown in Figure 3, thel upper arm or the llshaped lever is 'formed so that it will iit over the edge or the brake drum, projecting the lower arm ot' the L-shaped lever into the-'brake drum. The provision of the bolt 21 connecting one end ot the brake band 17 to the upper arm or the lever 19 makes it possible to. easily adjust the brake band.

A bell crank 23 is pivotally mounted on the annular plate 16 at 24. The upper end of the bell crank 23 is connected to the lever i 19 by a link 25, thus making it possible to operate the lever 19 through the 'bell crank 23. Brackets 26 mounted on the axle 10' carry a shaft 27. An arm 28 is formed integral W'ith the shaft 27 and this arminclines outward so f as to project beneath the lower end of the bell crank 23. Another arm' 2) is mounted on the shaft 27. The arm 29 may be operated from the brake lever provided in the motor vehicle for operating` the rear wheel brakes through the rod 30.

Ordinarily in the construction of motor vehicles fitted with front wheel brakes the axis of the steering knuckle is inclined to the vertical. his makes it diliirult to provide a connection between the bell crank 28 and the arm 28 which will be located in line with the axis of the knuckle and which dnring' operation will move approximately along,` the line of the axis. Consequently, in order to overcome this ditlicnlty some means must be provided for connecting the lower arm of the bell crank 23 to the arm 28 which will allow transverse motion of one relative to the other. This conne tion between the lower arm of the bell crank 23 and the arm 28 is accomplished by providing concave heads 3l and 32 on the meeting` ends of the members` recpectively. he concave faces of the heads 3l and 32 face inward and a ba l 33 is placed between them, as shown in Figure 4. A set screw 34 is mounted in a projection 35 forn'ied integral with the head serving` to prevent the heads 3l and 32 from being` widely separated from one another. When the wheels are swung abont verti al axes, in order to cl'iane'e the direction of motion of the vehicle, there is a small transverse movement of the head 3l relative to the head Three modified forms of connecting links for connectingr the bell crank to the arm 28 are shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9. The modified connecting link shown in Figure 7 includes a bell crank 23, the lower member 36 of which is hinged at 37 so that it may swing in a horizontal plane. The upper end of the arm 28 is constructed with a curved projection 38 thereon which fits into a socket 39 formed in the outer end of the arm 36. A bolt 4U is provided for attaching the members 28 and 36 together. ln this case when the wheels are rotated about vertical axes, the member 36 swings on the projection 38 and hinges at 37, thus allowing a transverse movement of the members provided for operating the brake band relative to the arm 28.A

In the moditication shown in Figure 8, the upper end of the arm 28 extends over the end of the lower arm of the bell crank 23. Countersunk openings 4l and 42 are provided in the members 28 and 23, respectively. These countersnnk openings are shaped to receive hemispherical members 43 which are mounted on a connecting link 44 provided for connecting,V the member 28 to the member 23. ln this case when the brake band is operated through the arm 28 the connecting link44 is in tension. As shown in the figure the openings 41 and 42 are greater in diameter than the connecting link 44. Consequently when the wheels are swunV about vertical axes the member 23 may move transversely to the member 28.

Referringto the modification shown in Figure 9, the arm 28 extends beneath tl .i io end of the lower arm of the bell crank 23. Openings 4l and 42 pro fided in the members 28 and 23, respectively, as in the modification shown in Figure 8. ln case the countersunk openings are ada for receivingl the curved ends of a cvli cal compression member whic ed on a connecting link 44. provided in the modificati. ure 8. lin this case the motion the :ri: 48 is conveyed to the s... the compression member 4l and 42 are consid -ably greater i eter than the link 44 thus allowimV ter to swinet relative to the member, 28. This link 44 is of sich i. l y it allows a certain movement of bers 23 and 28 longitudinally of IConsequently when the wheels about vertiral axes the mem er 23 ansversely of the member 28.

As set forth in a preceding` paragt'ali.l a brake of the type described would be pim vided in conjunction with each wheel. shaft 27 carried by the axle l0 is provided iii for transmitting motion 'to the brake band 17 provided in conjunction with one wheel.

A shaft 46 for operating' the brake band provided in conjunction with the other 'front wheel is mounted in alinement with the lo shaft 27, as shown in Figure 5. .411 ari 47 is attached to the inner end of the shaft 46 for operating it. In order to operate the arms 47 anc 28 from the brake lever provided for operating the rea-r wheel brakes an equalizer is provided. This equalizer inchicles a link 48 pivotally connecten to the arms 28 and 47 at 49 and 50, respectively. ln order to allow for varying angular movc ments' of the arms 28 and 47, a suicientljff7 in;

loose connection is provided at the point 49 where it is connected to the lever 28. This permits angular movement of the rm 28 relative to the arm 47. A connecting rod 52 is pivotally connected to the link 48 at and the other end of the rod 52 is connected to the ordinary brake lever provided for operating rear wheel brakes. Many other dcvices might be provided for operating the two front wheel brakes in conjunction with the rear wheel brakes, and the above is only set forth as one means of accomplishing the operation of the front wheel brakes.

The operation of the brake is as follows:

Referring to Figure 3 in particular, the la rod 30 is connected to the foot lever provided for operating the rear wheel brakes so that upon applying the rear wheel brakes a pull is exerted on the connecting rod 30, rotating the arm 29 counterclockwise about the axis of the shaft 27. rIhe shaft 2T is thus given a counterclockwise movement which is conveyed to the bell crank 23 through the arm 28, swinging it counterclockwvise about its pivot point 24. The motion of the bell crank is conveyed to the lever 19 through the links 25. rI`his movement projects the lower end of the lever 19 to the lett and since the outer end of the upper arm of the lever 19 is connected to one end ot the brake band 17 While the other end ot the brake band is pivotally connected in alinement With the central point ot the upper arm of the lever 19 the tvvo ends ot the brake band are drawn together, gripping the brake drum 14.

I would state in conclusion that While the illustrated examples constitute practical embodiments of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details'herein illustrated since manifestly the same can be considerably varied Without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims,

1. In a Aliront Wheel brake, the combina i tion with a front axle having a steering knuckle, a Wheel mounted on the knuckle, a brake drum carried by the Wheel, and a plate carried by the knuckle and arranged in the drum, ot a brake band, means mounted on the plate and carrying the brake band, an L-shaped lever lWithin the brake drum and having one member terminating in an angular extension extending over the outer face of the drum and pivotally connected to one end of the brake band, a bolt secured to the other end of the brake band and pass` ing loosely through the portion or" the angular extension olf t-he lever overlying the drum and provided With a nut, a spring on the bolt, and means connected With the member of the lever Within the drum for operating it.

2. In a front Wheel brake, the combination with a front axle having a steering knuckle, a Wheel mounted on the knuckle, a brake drum carried by the Wheel, and a plate carried by the knuckle and arranged Within the drum, oie a brake band-carried by said plate, an L-shaped lever having its upper end extending over the outer face of the drum and pivoted to one end of the brake band, means connecting the other end of the brake band with the portion of the lever overlying the drum, a shaft having a crank arm at each end, a bell crank lever, a link connecting one arm ot the bell crank 'lever With the end of the l.shaped lever, means Jtor connecting the other arm o the bell crank lever with one of the crank arms of said shaft so as to allow transverse movement of one relatively to the other, and an operating rod secured to the other crank arm of said shalt.

WILLIAM COOPER. 

